After Explorers - Distant Dance
by ThatOneWriterFromShef
Summary: An infiltration in the legendaries leads to Bolt getting misplaced after the battle with Dialga. 5 years later, he finds his way back only to find things not the same. And his old partner missing. So, he goes on a hunt for her, and he won't ever rest until she's by his side once more. Doesn't stop him from getting up to shenanigans along the way! T for Language and themes


**5 YEARS AGO**

Two young explorers were charged with preventing a calamity so great. Greater than the Falling Star Crisis that had taken place a few years prior.

For time itself would cease.

To stop such a catastrophe from happening, they, along with Grovyle, a Pokemon from the future, were tasked with climbing Temporal Tower, the home of the Pokemon of time, Dialga. Before they could board the Rainbow Stoneship, however, Dusknoir and his Sableye underlings had shown up, and after a hard fought battle, the three Pokemon had emerged victorious. However, before they could celebrate, three became two, so that the two remaining could finish the job. And one of them learned of his fate should they succeed.

Grovyle had gone, and it was all up to them. Thunder and Ice. Team IceSpark.

Bolt the Pikachu, and Grace the Glaceon, two explorers under the tutelage of the Wigglytuff Guild.

They knew. They both knew that Temporal Tower was close to collapse. But they couldn't stop here, not now.

If they did, it would have all been for naught.

After all, they've seen what happens.

* * *

"Bolt!"

A Pikachu bounded out of the tower onto the rooftop, and slid to a halt, and could only stare at the sight above him. Joining him a few seconds later was a Glaceon, who actually doesn't look that much bigger than him. She shot him a glare before following his gaze to the sky, and her breath hitches a little bit.

"Okay...that's not normal."

Above them was a swirling red cloud with lightning coursing along it. It looked like a vortex.

Bolt found his voice eventually. "We saw that thing on the Stoneship coming here...looking at it up close is even worse, y'know?" He cast his gaze towards her. "Grace, you alright? You're looking kind of knacked."

Grace shot the icey glare at him again. "Because someone decided it would be the best idea to run ahead just because he saw the exit straight ahead."

Bolt grimaced and cocked his head sideways. "Those Porygon were a pain in the ass."

"You could have tanked those Discharges easily!"

"You could have used Quick Attack to catch up!"

"I didn't think to do that, I'm not a mind reader you know!"

"Well how about I shout 'Quick Attack' so that maybe, just maybe there's a chance you might do it next time? I mean let's face it, maybe I was a Trainer human in my previous life?" Bolt paused for a moment and facefaults. "On second thoughts, that would just be weird."

Grace cocked her head to the side in confusion. "What would be weird? You commanding me like a pe-" She immediately stopped herself and went a bright pink in the face. "O-on second thoughts, yeah that would be weird."

Bolt paused again and looked at his partner, and jumped in realisation of what was running through her mind, the electric sacs on his cheeks now not the only thing red. "Sweet Arceus, you didn't need to make it that weird!"

Grace's face darkened in hue and she yelled at him. "I thought that's what you meant by 'weird'!"

"Of course not, who do you think I am?!"

"You tell me, Mr. Amnesiac Human From the Future!"

"Why you gotta pull that on me again?"

"Because shut up!" The Glaceon walked on ahead, effectively putting an end to their bickering. That changed when she saw an altar straight ahead. "Hey, look at that!"

Bolt caught up, and saw said altar staring at them.

Five slots.

Five Time Gears.

"Oh yes!" Bolt pumped his fist. "That's it! Just put the gears into those slots and voilà, we can go home and sleep for the rest of time." As Grace was about to do so, he stopped her. "Wait!"

Grace stopped briefly and looked back at her partner. "Huh? What's wrong, Bolt?"

Bolt reached into their Treasure Bag and pulled out a Sitrus Berry and a Max Elixir each.

"You know the drill. Before we commit to anything."

With a sheepish grin, she nodded and before another word was spoken between them, their move energy was restored and their wounds accumulated from the tower climb healed.

Bolt sighed in relief, a grin on his face as he put his fists on his hips after stretching. "Too bad it's superficial and doesn't cure exhaustion."

Grace gave him a wry smirk. "Nothing's a substitute for a good night's sleep, eh, Bolt?"

"My thoughts exactly, my trusty companion."

"I'm the leader, you're the companion."

"Shut up, companion."

Relative silence ruled the area as the two continued on their way to the alter.

However, they were anything but at ease.

"Bolt?" Grace piped up. "I don't know why, but I've got a really bad feeling about all of this."

"What's causing it? All this weird lightning, the big cloud up in the sky, the fact this tower's ruled by a big psycho dragon or your fur standing on its head?"

"Uh, a bit of all if I have to guess." Grace answered with her ears flattening against her head.

"Same, Grace. Same." The two exchanged a glance, and Bolt only grinned. "Gird your loins, ice queen. It's the home stretch." Grace narrowed her eyes at Bolt from that last phrase, and Bolt groans, facepawing. "I had a bit of a psyche up session with Marowak yesterday before we set out for Brine Cave, he said that."

"I never understood him, but his training courses have really helped in the long road, so who am I to complain?" She glanced at her partner again, and down at his scarf, that was slightly decorated by a strange yellow gem. "Hey...you never did tell me where you got that gem."

Bolt glanced down at the gem. He swore he'd never seen the kind of sigil that was on the crystal anywhere else. "I don't know either. If you remember, I just sort of...woke up on the beach with it on my scarf. It felt...important somehow, so I didn't argue with it."

Grace felt a small smile on her face. "Maybe one day soon, you'll find out what it's for."

Right as Bolt was about to somewhat agree with her, the area went completely dark, leaving the two Pokemon looking around and seeing nothing at all.

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

"...Bolt, can you just, y'know, not?"

"Sorry…"

"**Grrrr..."**

"Hey, Grace?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you hear growling, or is it just me?"

"It's...not just you."

"Oh good..."

"I thought it was your stomach."

"Oh. Classy."

"Sorry. Couldn't resist."

"I can just hear the grin in that voice."

"I kn-"

"**You..." **A low, yet powerful voice rumbled in the background.

"Us?"

"**Yes, you! You're the ones that seek the destruction of my tower."**

"That's...not true." Grace spoke up, keeping her voice steady and sure. "We're actually here to save it. Well, try. And save time from freezing!"

"**Time freezing?"**

"Yes!" Bolt shouted back at the voice.

"**Time….freezing..."**

"Yeah, we're trying to stop exactly that!" Grace groaned. "Now if you could light the place back up so we can do it and get on our way, that'd be nice, thank you!"

"Oooh, Grace, a bit of fire there." Bolt grinned, and Grace heard that grin, returning with one of her own, even though they can't see each other.

"Thank you. I do try."

That's when the darkness was replaced with a blinding white light, that like the darkness, covered the area. And the two had to cover their eyes.

"Ooookay, that's a bit much." Grace remarked.

"Well you asked."

"Shut up."

"Yes dear."

"You're lucky I can't glare at you right now."

The light subsided, and they were faced with a giant, dark looking dragon with plating covering its body. Bolt grinned nervously.

"What big teeth you ha-"

But he was interrupted by the dragon letting loose a massive roar at the both of them, causing them to nearly stumble back.

"Let a guy finish.."

This huge dragon was Dialga. The dragon who guards and controls time. More specifically, at the moment, he was Primal Dialga.

"Ooh yeah.." Grace sighed, shaking her head. "I should have guessed."

"**Enough talk! You dare bring ruin to this tower?" **Dialga rumbled at the two.

"Can you only partially hear or something you big metal lizard?! We're the good guys here! We're trying to save the bloody place!" Bolt shouted, becoming increasingly irate the more the dragon talks.

"**Silence! I'm done listening to the mindless prattling of rodents such as yourselves."**

"Hey!" They both shouted back, but Grace wasn't done, as she pointed to Bolt.

"He's the rodent."

"You know, I'm really feeling the love right now." Bolt drawled back, sweatdropping.

"**Enough pointless banter. If you want to pass, then you'll have to get through me!"**

"With pleasure!" Grace barked, before jumping onto Bolt's head, earning a "Hey!", and leaping into the air, firing an Ice Beam at the dark time dragon.

"Grace!" Bolt growled before letting loose a Thunderbolt to accompany his partner's ice attack. To their pleasant surprise, the dual attack hits dead on on Dialga's chest, pushing him back and earning a growl of pain.

"Niiice!" Bolt shouted, grinning and pumping a fist as Grace landed gracefully next to him.

"He's just testing us. Don't get cocky, Bolt." Grace warned him, eyes trained on the demigod.

"I don't get cocky." Bolt sniffed passively, cheeks sparking to life.

"Grovyle would beg to differ."

"….We may have underestimated him at the time."

"**Well don't bother making light of me!"** Dialga roared as he charged Flash Cannon then open fired, the beam skimming across the floor. The two adventurers were sideswiped by the attack, separating them and making them roll along the floor. Pain shot through Grace's side, but she gritted her teeth and got to her feet once again, activating Quick Attack.

As Dialga fired off more Flash Cannons, Grace weaved around them like a natural, living up to her name. "So long as you don't with us." She slid to a halt in front of him, and Dialga knew she would, and he charged one more Flash Cannon. However, one thing Dialga didn't predict, is her leaping up to his face, and glowing. "Mirror Coat!" As she predicted, the attack blew up in Dialga's face, and sent him tumbling back. Unfortunately for Grace, the explosion blew her back as well, injuring her some more.

Until she's plucked out of the air by Bolt, who landed, carrying her, sort of bridal style. He winked at her with a grin, then put her down, saying no more about it, and shot off with a trail of thunder behind him, causing Grace to look on in worry. She cursed his recklessness before running after him.

Dialga recovered just as Bolt was in his face, covered in a veil of lightning, to receive a Volt Tackle to the face, which made him flinch and shocked him too. Bouncing off of Dialga's face, Bolt landed on the fins on his back, rubbing his head from the recoil. "Dammit." A splash interrupted his thoughts, as Grace had landed a Water Pulse, taking advantage of the previous attack on Dialga.

"Now!"

"Nice." Bolt chuckled, before lighting his cheeks, grasping Dialga's fins and letting rip another Thunderbolt attack, the water helping tack on the damage.

"I can't believe it." Grace said to no one in particular as she watched Dialga squirm in pain. "I think we have the upper hand!"

Her glee was cut short as Dialga gave off a buck that sent Bolt flying off of him. "Oh sh-" Her curse was interrupted as Bolt crashed straight into her, sending them rolling across the floor, until they came to a stop with Bolt on his back and Grace on top of him.

"That was rough.." Bolt groaned out, before looking straight up to meet two blue pools staring straight back at him. "You….alright, Grace?" He never really looked at the Fresh Snow Pokemon any different than a teammate or best friend.

At least, not intentionally.

Thoughts did cross his mind once or twice, those instances when Fang decided to mess with him for no apparent reason. Now?

How did I never realise how beautiful she was? Why is my heart just...acting weird right now?

….What's that blue glow making her look...wait, 'blue glow'?

Bolt jerked his head to his left to see what it was, but it was too late, as a nicely aimed Roar of Time from the time deity connected with the two adventurers, sending them crashing through not one, but two pillars, and landing roughly onto the ground, shaken and injured.

"**Didn't I tell the both of you not to take me lightly?" **Dialga bellowed at them as they slowly dragged themselves to their feet.

"Bolt….are you okay?" Grace panted out, moderately bruised and looking at her teammate.

Bolt answered back with a thumbs up and a nod. "J-just...lemme get my bearings, and.."

"**Enough from the both of you! It's time to end this little charade." **His mouth glowing, Dialga aimed to the skies, and blasted a ball of energy into the red clouds. A muffled **BANG**was heard before what looks like multiple, a dozen, two dozen, they couldn't tell, energy meteors rained down, directly towards them.

They were injured. They couldn't move in time. They were falling fast.

Who knows if they'd survive. Or if the tower would survive the impacts.

All they could really do now, in this moment, is hold each other.

* * *

"Something's wrong."

Back at the guild, the wind outside had picked up, and a Lucario was observing it from the window of his team's room. It looked like a storm was brewing in the sky. But Fang knew. Both him and Flare, his Ninetales partner knew, that the storm wasn't anything good. Their colleagues, their best friends, Bolt and Grace, they were never far from any trouble.

That's not to say they're the cause of the coming storm. They just figured (more accurately than they knew) that whatever was going on, they were involved in some fashion.

"C'mon, Fang, come back to bed and stop worrying." Flare tried to reassure him in a soothing voice. She knew him more than anyone (other than Team IceSpark) and that's usually the trick to get him to relax. But it wasn't working. Fang closed his eyes and sighed.

"You feel it as well, don't you?"

Flare lowered her head, frowning. "Mmhmm. I have to say, if they're going to pull it off, they're cutting it very close. Closer than I'm comfortable with, to be honest."

Fang could only chuckle, opening his eyes. "Honestly, with their track record, I wouldn't be surprised if they pulled off a victory at the very last moment."

His partner scoffed at this. "The last of the world could be freezing, and all of a sudden it'd all be undone."

Fang rolled his eyes, then looked back outside, a feeling of dread pooling at the pit of his stomach. That might not be further from the truth. He finally pried his eyes away from the window and returned to the bed where his partner was, sitting down next to her. His eyes landed on a dark red egg with a swirling pattern separating the top half from the lower half.

"It's okay to admit that you're scared, Fang...you can't stay this stoic arm folding badass for every waking moment of your life, y'know." Flare stated softly, looking on at her partner in concern.

"I...I know. I just...want to know that there'll be a future for the little one...whenever he or she arrives."

"There will be." Flare reached over to take his paw in her own, and he locked eyes with her in return. "Have faith, Fang..they'll be fine. And so will we. Okay?"

"..Okay."

"You good now…?"

"I'm good now...thank you." He felt a warm smile creep to his face. "Love you, Flare."

Feeling assured, she returned the smile, pulling both Fang and the egg close. "Love you too, ya big edgelord."

And as they sat and laid together as a family, and the rest of the guild stood tall outside the entrance to the building, the freezing of time took hold on Treasure Town and its surrounding areas.

* * *

The Spire had seen better days. The floor was cracked to high heaven. Pillars were almost flattened.

One of the only structures that looked relatively untouched was the alter.

And by the looks of things, the two didn't seem like they would have been touching the alter any time soon.

Bolt looked pretty much half dead, and Grace was barely hanging on, clinging to her partner, watching as Dialga slowly edged his way towards the two adventurers. At least, that what it felt like to her.

"B..bolt...c'mon, ya electric rat, we haven't...ugh..." She weakly shook the electric rat to try and come to. "C'mon...you can't….not after all this..." Hot tears were streaming down Grace's face, but she kept on shaking, hoping to get through. "We didn't get this far to be snuffed out by some raging time freak." Gritting her teeth and fighting back sobs, she screamed his name at the top of her voice.

* * *

Fields of gold. That's all he could see.

One minute hellfire was raining down on top of him and Grace, and the next he opens his eyes to find himself here.

And he was a little bit freaked out.

"What the hell's going on…?" He asked out loud to no-one in particular.

He felt really weird. Taller. He lifted up his arms.

"Ah!" Flesh hands. Human hands. He felt around, looking down at the rest of his body. Clothes that had seen better days. "Huh? What….is this..me?" He felt his hair. Short. He pulled out a strand of it. Brown.

"Indeed it is."

"Ee!" He nearly fell over at the sudden voice behind him. A human woman. Mid-30s. He scrambles to compose himself, clearing his throat. "Uncool. That was seriously uncool. Whoever you are, I think we can both agree that what happened now, actually didn't."

The woman gave him a 'really?' look, and he gave a sheepish grin back.

"Some things never change." The woman commented with that look still on her face.

This raised Bolt's ire slightly, and he narrowed his eyes, folding his arms. "Who are you? It's kinda bugging me, cause I feel like I know you."

The woman's expression shifted. Bolt couldn't read it. Hurt? Sadness? Both?

"Your memory's really not the best right now, is it?"

Bolt made a face at that moment. "It's kinda hazy, thanks for asking." He then looked around their surroundings. "Hey...am I dead? That last attack killed me, didn't it?"

The woman didn't answer, she instead walked forward, and then past him, stopping at the top of the hill they're stood on, hands on her hips. "You're half right."

"Huh?" He blinked, looking perplexed. "I….where am I then? Can you just answer please?!"

"Your name."

"What."

"'Bolt.' When you woke up, you said that was your name, correct?"

"Yeaaaah..." He sighed, scratching his head. "When Grace asked me my name for the first time, that one was niggling at the back of my head, so I took it."

"Sounds like a superhero name. Or a sidekick."

"Grace is the sidekick." Bolt retorted in annoyance.

"Just like Grovyle was, right?"

Bolt looked directly at the woman, getting increasingly freaked.

"It's funny. Always telling him he's the sidekick, when he was the Pokemon. What did that make you, his trainer?" The woman grinned. It was fun getting under his skin.

"I'd like to think I was the brains. And for your information, lady, he volunteered."

What?

Bolt puts his hand on his head and stumbles back, nearly hyperventilating.

"What the fuck just happened?"

"Language, child!" The woman snapped, pointing a finger at him in an almost motherly fashion, before softening up. "And you'll figure it out in time." She walked forward and put a hand on his arm to calm him down. His breathing slowed to a normal pace again. "This is the in-between realm."

"The in-between realm?"

"Purgatory. Whatever you want to call it." She let off another sigh. "You're not fully dead. You can still go back, but recovering will be tricky." She waved her hand, and around them, the scene shifted. They were on the Temporal Spire, and Bolt grimaced at the scene.

"This place looks a wreck." He then caught sight of Grace, standing up again, looking battered and bruised. She stood directly over Bolt's unconscious form, protecting her partner, whilst glaring defiantly at the approaching Dialga. She then charged up as big of an Ice Beam as she could, and fired it directly at the legendary. It stopped him in his tracks, and he growled, trying to power through to reach the two. "Grace!" He held his hand out to her, to try and call out to her.

"She can't hear."

"Shit.."

"Language."

"Sorry...just…."

"I know." The woman just smiled. "What is she to you?"

"My best friend...my partner...she.."

"You wanna go back and protect her, like she's doing with you." She looked on at the fire in the ice type's eyes as she keeps up the attack. I definitely approve. She thought to herself.

"How's everywhere else?"

The woman seemed to hesitate for a moment, before the scene shifted between different places.

Treasure Town.

Pokemon Square.

Serene Village.

Lively Town.

Post Town.

All of them frozen. Their inhabitants too.

"Damnit..." The scene then shift to Fang and Flare and their egg curled up. Frozen. And unaware. It was then that Bolt made up his mind. As if it wasn't made up already. "Take me back. I'm not done with that time dragon yet."

The lady seemed to be pleased with the choice. Though her expression seemed bittersweet.

"Hey...before I go though, will I end up back here after I...well..."

She nodded. "It's the equivalent of dying, so to speak. So your soul will most likely end up here."

"Right..." Bolt took a deep breath. "I'm ready….so how do I go back?"

"Close your eyes, child. Close, and focus." She watched him do so. "Think of nothing but the will to keep living. Think of who for, and why." A sad smile crossed her face as he seemed to glow softly. "And...it was nice to speak with you again."

Bolt's eyes opened again and he stared at her. "But...you never told me who you are. You're gonna let me go and leave me in the dark about who just helped me? Seriously?!" His small rant is ended when the woman wraps her arms around him in a tight hug.

And she started to sing.

"The sun'll come out  
Tomorrow  
Bet your bottom dollar  
That tomorrow  
There'll be sun!

Just thinkin' about  
Tomorrow  
Clears away the cobwebs  
And the sorrow  
'Til there's none.."

Her embrace was warm. And Bolt felt safe. He had no idea why, but he wanted to cry.

And they stayed like that until he vanished.

* * *

Grace couldn't keep it up any longer. She was running out of Ice Beam, and stamina in general. But she couldn't stop. She just couldn't.

"**How long can you keep it up, girl?" **Dialga rumbled, before charging another Flash Cannon.

That was all she could take. Her Ice Beam stopped, and her legs buckled underneath her.

"**That's what I thought! Now join your rodent friend in the afterlife, and die!"**

Before Dialga could fire, though, a massive Thunderbolt comes out of nowhere and hits Dialga's mouth, causing the Flash Cannon to explode, and Dialga to writhe around and roar in pain.

Before she hit the ground, Grace felt support keeping her upright. "You're insane, y'know that, Ice Queen?"

Grace looked up to see Bolt grinning down at her, and with a sigh of relief, she leaned against her partner. "You idiot...you scared me."

Bolt chuckled, and gave her head a gentle stroke. "I know. I scared me too." Reaching into the Treasure Bag, he pulled out an Oran Berry and an Elixir, and she took them immediately.

"These things are like placebos at this point." Grace groaned out, feeling her moves get reenergised and some of her wounds healed. "Got a plan, o wonderous leader?"

'When the time comes, you'll know.'

Bolt looked down at his scarf, and at the yellow crystal. "I...think. Keep him busy. And still."

Grace gave him a cautious look. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

To which he replied with a look of assurance. "Positive."

The two smiled at each other before Grace took off with Quick Attack. "Hey, ugly!" Grace called out, grabbing the dragon's attention as he recovered. "Over here!"

"**Don't you ever know when to quit-GAAAH!" **His sentence was cut short, when Grace smacked him in the face with her Quick Attack, then bounced upwards, attacking him with Ice Beam. It caused him to growl in pain and slight anger.

Meanwhile, the yellow gem on Bolt's scarf glowed to life, which surprised him. The glow then expanded over himself, and electricity started arcing around him aggressively. Bolt grinned at this. "Niiice."

Back with Grace, she was continuing to run circles around the behemoth. Dialga himself, was becoming increasingly agitated. She then came to a stop in front of him, grinning. Confused as to why, but still pretty angry, Dialga attempted to move forward.

Key word being 'attempted'.

He couldn't, for the simple reason that Grace had literally frozen all four of his feet to the floor, preventing him from moving or taking off. He roared in Grace's face out of rage, and she simply stood there with her grin. Until his mouth started glowing with temporal energy.

"Oh...shit."

"Hey, Grace! Get out of the way!" Bolt shouted from a few yards behind. Not needing to be told twice, she did.

A huge gathering electricity hovered in front of Bolt, and a sigil that looked like an arrow flashed in front of him for a brief moment.

"**GIGAVOLT HAVOC!" **Bolt shouted, his voice echoing, as he punched the lightning in front of him, launching it at Dialga in the form of a current. It connected with the temporal energy in his mouth and ignited it, simultaneously electrocuting the big dragon. There was a huge explosion that kicked up a lot of dust, enveloping the whole area.

After a few moments, the dust cleared, and Dialga was on his knees.

Both Bolt and Grace were stood, watching him carefully and holding their breaths.

Dialga fell.

It was over.

"We….we did it." Grace whispered. A huge grin plastered on her face, she started hopping around excitedly. "We did it!" She started chanting it for 10 seconds before the trembling ground made her and Bolt fall to the ground as well.

"Damnit!" She heard Bolt curse. "Grace, the gears!" Grace's face went sheepish for a moment.

"On it!" She got back up, and bounded to the altar. Without further delay, she inserted them into the slots.

The altar lit up, and the ground trembled again, sending Grace sprawling down the stairs. Bolt caught her in his forelegs at the bottom.

"We did it..." Grace whispered, and Bolt only grinned before the trembling got worse, sending them sprawling to the ground, making both of them curse. "Don't tell me we were too late..."

"Bloody hell, you're cheerful." Bolt joked, but deep down, he was nervous that this was the case.

As the trembling intensifies, they held onto each other, not letting go, and then the light surrounding the altar expanded around them.

A minute passed. That's what it felt like. They eventually let go of each other (very awkwardly) and looked around the place. It still looked trashed. But it could be rebuilt.

"We certainly know how to leave an impression, don't we?" Grace joked lamely. Bolt only nodded lamely in agreement.

"Indeed, Temporal Tower has taken quite a lot of damage. However, it has survived." Both explorers nearly jump out of their fur and turn to the source of the voice. Dialga has regained consciousness, though he doesn't look quite so...dark. "After all, isn't that what's important?"

"Uhhh..." Bolt could only utter out. "I guess?"

"You've both no need to be alarmed. I am no longer...corrupted." He seemed to be a bit perturbed at that last word. "I have regained my reasoning. I have to say, your timing couldn't be any better. The distortion was at its worst, and was starting to rapidly spread around the planet."

"Ehehe..." I knew that.

"That was too close." Grace commented, sitting down for now, grimacing at her wounds.

"Indeed." Dialga agreed with a low chuckle. "Now. Observe."

The space around them started to shift, and images of the world were shown to them.

Treasure Town bustling once again, its citizens cheering and hugging each other.

Lively Town already throwing a festival in celebration.

Pokemon Square breathing a sigh of relief as it survives yet another crisis.

The children of Serene Village playing in the playground.

Wigglytuff's Guild cheering and Wigglytuff himself giving a knowing smile.

"I owe everything to the both of you. Thank you."

The explorers looked up to the time dragon, and they could swear he had a smile on his maw. They returned that smile back with their own, but Bolt suddenly felt a bit heavy. He looked down at his paws, and could see a small flicker of yellow light.

Damnit, it's started.

Grace interrupted his trance with a paw on the shoulder. "Chin up, Bolt, we did it! Come on, let's get back to the guild! Everyone's waiting!"

With his only option being to swallow it up for now, he gulped and nodded, plastering a smile on his own face.

The two walked back towards the entrance to the roof. Bolt glanced back, and saw Dialga lower his head in respect, closing his eyes.

Need to keep going as long a I can.

* * *

**Location: Path to the Rainbow Stoneship**

Grace was walking along the path to the stoneship, with a surprising amount of spring in her step. Bolt thought so too, though, thinking on it, it's not hard to tell why.

We won, so I can imagine she's eager to see everyone again.

He looked down at his paws again, and grumbled to himself lightly.

Like that's going to last long. Damnit. Just a little longer, please.

"Hey, Bolt!"

"Hm?" Bolt looked up to his partner, who was shining his favourite smile back at him. Damnit..

"What's the first thing you're gonna do when you get back?"

"Uhhh..." Wing it. "Off the top of my head, the first thing I'm gonna do is check on the brothers. I imagine they'll wanna see at least one of us as soon as they can."

"Huh, that's true..." Grace nodded. "I remember Flare saying she had a little 'surprise' on the way."

"Her belly did look kind of….big before we left." Bolt, acting coy, chirps in. "First time I ever saw Fang that nervous. Guy looked like he was about to faint."

Grace rolled her eyes before going on. "I wonder if she's already had it yet..."

"I can imagine she ha..s.." Bolt nearly collapses on the ground, just holding himself up. He can't go on. Not anymore.

"Huh?" Grace looked back and saw him. "Bolt, are you ok-" Her words caught on her tongue as she saw his glow. "What's..what's going on?!" She bounded over to him, looking over him. "Bolt, what's going on? Talk, now." Her tone was a stern one, but she was concerned, and rightly so.

"I..."

"Were the wounds that bad? We can get help. When we get back, we'll get you to Joy."

"Grace-"

"However many berries you need, just get up and let's go!"

"I'm disappearing!"

Grace stopped right in front of him. "C...come again?"

"I...when me and Grovyle came back to the past, we knew things were going to end this way. Changing the future means we're never born. At least, these versions of us. At any cost, our world needed to be restored. And that cost was us."

Grace, who was shaking, gulped. "Y-You, Grovyle and Dusknoir right?"

"Right. Of course, I didn't remember that until just before those two went back to the future."

"But it's not fair..." Grace threw her forelegs around Bolt, hot tears threatening to trickle down. "Why? Why you?!"

"I dunno...circumstance?" Bolt takes a few deep breaths and hugs his partner back. "But it's fine..ever since I've met you, you've grown from a timid little Eevee to a headstrong ice queen Glaceon who doesn't take any crap from anyone any more. I was able to see that happen."

Bolt's glow increased once again, and Grace couldn't stop the tears any more. She buried her face into his shoulder, letting off choked sobs. "D-don't go..."

Bolt couldn't respond to that, and he had to blink any tears out of his eyes after hearing that. He couldn't break now. It would only make it worse. Instead, he just stroked her back, and rested his chin on her head.

And he sang.

"The sun'll come out  
Tomorrow  
Bet your bottom dollar  
That tomorrow  
There'll be sun!

Just thinkin' about  
Tomorrow  
Clears away the cobwebs  
And the sorrow  
'Til there's none.."

The last word echoed, as he dissipated into pure light, causing Grace to flop to the ground. She tried clawing away at the empty air.

She opened her eyes.

"Bolt?" Her voice sounded broken. "No….no, no, no..." She backed away, looking at where he once was. Nothing.

Her breathing was getting faster, more shallow. She needed to do something. So she did the only thing she could do in that moment.

She screamed.

* * *

Grace was on the Stoneship, heading back towards Hidden Land, where she would meet Lapras. She stared back at Temporal Tower as it shrunk into the horizon.

"Huh….looks a lot worse than when we were going towards it." Turning back to face towards her destination, she scoffed lightly. She could at least bring herself to snark. "I'm definitely gonna be having nightmares about that place." She slapped herself across the face lightly. "No...need to be cool. Be positive. It's what he'd want….right…?"

When Grace returned to the Hidden Land, and made the return trip home, she took comfort in Lapras' company, and was able to stay calm. When she returned to the guild, everyone greeted her at the door, they wondered where her partner was, and she announced the news with a heavy heart, and heavy sadness. She went to see Fang and Flare, and slept in their room that night, and they didn't object. She joined their team soon enough, and was there for their daughter's hatching. She told stories of their travels to anyone that asked, and she did it with the biggest smile on her face as she reminisced of happier days.

Things would never be the same for Grace, but she came to live with her loss, and mostly moved on with her life.

But one sunset, months later, during a walk, she found herself on the beach. The same beach she found Bolt. To her surprise, the Krabbies were blowing bubbles into the sunset, and the view was incredible. Just like back then.

"Well...this is nostalgic." She told herself, walking to the sea and sitting down just at the edge. "It's been a while since I've seen this view. It's just as beautiful as I remember it. Guess I've just been a bit busy to come by once in a while, huh..." She rubbed her chin in thought. "When even was the last time I saw it?" A spark of realisation hit her immediately. "Oh yeah! It was...when I found Bolt over there." She turned her head over to the spot Bolt was laid on. "Sprawled out on his back, almost dead to the world. And soaking wet. Honestly, it's a surprise he didn't get hyperthermia in that state." She turned back to the sea, and leaned over to look at her reflection.

For a second, she thought she saw an Eevee staring back at her. She blinked, and her reflection was normal again.

"Funny, when we went on a trip to Air, he was the only one who refused evolution." She giggled lightly. "Old man Whiscash looked at him as if he was insane."

His voice echoed in her head.

"Hey, as far as I'm concerned, the stakes aren't high enough for me to consider it! Us Pikachu are sturdier than we get credit for!"

"Didn't you almost go down to one slash from that fake Groudon?" Fang reminded him.

"I was weaker back then, hush."

"I remember it all so clearly and fondly..."

"Oops, guess I was so focused on saving Azurill, I forgot to eat today!"

"Ha, someone didn't eat any apples on the way u-" Bolt's stomach grumbled at him. "Oh."

"Ha. Neither did you."

"Wait...you snarked back at me. Where's Grace, you imposter?!"

Their laughter echoed in her mind.

"My dream is to solve the mystery of this relic fragment. That's one of the reasons I became an explorer in the first place!"

"And the other? Or others?"

"...To go on crazy adventures, see the world and...hopefully meet an amazing partner. And I did."

"..."

"….Are you blushing?"

"No! No I don't blush."

"You totally are."

"I never blush, you're lying!"

"No, you're lying!"

"Can you KEEP it DOWN, some of us are trying to SLEEP!"

"Shut up, Loudred!" A select few other guildmembers shouted back at him.

Bolt and Grace just laid in their beds, sniggering immaturely at Loudred getting chewed out, which also echoed in her mind, as she started struggling to hold back tears.

"Hey look!"

"The ropes!"

"It's time! Attack!"

"You swore you wouldn't cry….not again."

Bolt was almost reaching out his paw to the empty air where the portal once was. Dusknoir was gone.

Grovyle was gone.

For the first time since he woke up without memories, Grace could tell.

Bolt looked lost. He felt lost.

But she was here for him.

And they had to keep going.

"Bolt."

He snapped out of his trance, and rubbed his eyes. "I-I'm not crying. I'm not. Just something in my ey-"

She gave the electric idiot a hug, and rested her head against his. "It's okay to be sad for those you lost...but all you can do is carry on. Grovyle didn't give you this opportunity for no reason, did he..?"

Bolt could only shake his head.

"Good….I'm here, alright? You'll be alright..."

Bolt nodded, and hugged her back.

"Thanks, Grace." He takes a deep breath, and exhales, his grin coming back to his face. "We'll save this world and the Pokemon on it."

"That's the spirit." She gave her partner a small kiss on the forehead. "Come on, Bolt. We got a job to do!"

They break the hug, and Bolt pumps his fist. "Let's go!"

"Grace!" Bidoof stumbled onto the beach, and Grace's ear perked up. "There y'are! Ya were gone a while, and I was getting mighty worried." He noticed her distressed state, and his face fell into one of concern as he approached her. "Grace…?"

What he didn't expect was for her to fall at his feet, crying his name and sobbing.

"W-wah? What all is the matter?" Getting no answer, he did the only thing he could, and rubbed her back in comfort.

* * *

Up in Temporal Tower, Dialga was still in the process of repairing Temporal Tower. However, he had chosen that moment to check on Grace, and saw her current sorrow. He could do nothing but sigh and stare at the altar.

"Grace...when you left here, and you were making your way back on the Rainbow Stoneship, I could feel the intensity of your sorrow from here. I said I owed you, and I meant it. My gift to you. Please accept it!"

* * *

**Elsewhere**

"Sun is shining in the sky…  
There ain't a cloud in sight.."

"Oliver, please, that's the fifth time you've sung that, and it kind of got old the second time."

"Krys, please. You just can't appreciate good music when you hear it."

"Hey, I love listening to your playlists when we get the chance, but the same. Damn. Song. Is so annoying!"

Two currently bickering humans were packing their tents up, and getting ready for the last leg of their trip. They were 14 years of age. One of which was Oliver, a Pokemon trainer who was looking for a change of pace in his trainer career. He was wearing a grey bomber jacket, blue jeans and travelling boots. The other was Krystal. A Pokemon trainer initially, that wasn't where her passion lied any more. Now, she was currently studying different types of medicine, in the hopes of some day becoming a successful doctor. She had silver hair, and was wearing a grey-ish blue zip up cardigan, was wearing black jeans, and white trainers (which, in her opinion, as soon as she got to the next town, needed replacing badly).

"Chu!" A small Pichu with a ribbon on her ear hopped up onto Oliver's shoulder, and gave him a slight weak jolt and a pout. "Chu! Pichu."

Oliver rubbed the shoulder where she had shocked him, and gave his Pokemon a look. "Pia, if you don't like me blueballing, shocking me isn't the way to say." He adjusted his glasses and looked away, smirking. "Neither is pumping my phone full of volts so that the battery craps out. I bought my sixth new battery last week after you clearly didn't like hearing Stairway."

"Not that I'd blame her." Krystal chimed in, zipping up her jacket and hauling her sleeping bag onto her back. Oliver pouted a slight bit before hauling the packed tent onto his back, and they set off walking.

* * *

"So! Once we get to the town, I was thinking we check into the local Pokemon Centre, leave our Pokemon to be checked out, and then look at some of the landmarks! According to a guide I looked at before we got off the ferry, there's a nice restaurant we could go get dinner at!"

Oliver's stomach rumbled on cue at that. "Food sounds good..." He grumbled, putting his hand on it as if to try and calm it. Damnit. He thought. Now I'm going to be thinking about food all the way to the bloody town.. The sound of a small crackle of electricity coming from Pia's cheeks distracts him slightly. "Hm?"

"And afterwards, there's a massive park that's always bustling, it'd be nice if we could take a nice walk around it!" She gave her travelling companion a slight nudge with her elbow as if to try and indicate something. "Y'know...just the tw-"

"Pichu!" Pia bounded off of Oliver's shoulder, and through some bushes.

"Pia!" Oliver shouted after her, before giving chase. Safe to say, Krystal wasn't best pleased with this.

"Ughhhh...not again. I swear, that mouse is out to get me." She gave chase soon after.

They soon came to a clearing, and Pia was there. But she was staring at something that was leaning against a tree.

"A Pikachu!" Krystal exclaimed. As soon as she took a closer look, any anger she had towards Pia's interruption vanished and was replaced with immediate concern. "But Oliver look! He looks messed up!" She made to run right over, but Oliver stopped her before she could.

"Hold up, Krys. If you go close, it could attack you."

The Pikachu seemed to be offended from that, something that perplexed both humans.

"'I-it? I'm right here, y'know."

Krystal's eyes widened, and she took a step back. Oliver shakily pointed at the Pikachu. "You...you can talk?!"

The Pikachu deadpanned. "Huh? Of course I can talk, how do you expect me to communicate, repeat my own name over and over?"

"Chu!" Pia shouted back in a huff.

"You hush." He pointed at the younger electric type, before looking back at the humans, this time rather dizzily. He was slowly succumbing to his wounds, and both humans knew it. Krystal approached him slowly. The mouse gave her a look. "Look..I-I'm fine...just tell me the way to...T-treas.." He fell forward, but Krystal caught him before he hit the ground. He was out cold.

For some, the events preceding now were the ending of a story.

But where one story ends, another begins.


End file.
